OkayDoood

The characters are the source of this movie's greatness. I watched Decline of the American Empire, and grew to like the characters. After Invasions of the Barbarians, I came to love them, and wept when one of them had to go.

This dialogue heavy movie discuss social ills, life and its passing, love, family, and friendship; all in the context of a dying Remy Girard. They touch on generational differences between children and their parents in an ever changing world, post 9/11.

I was deeply moved with how these characters still had such a love of life despite the fact that their friend was dying. I was touched - genuinely.

I will start with saying that the subtitles made it difficult to understand the specifics of their dialogue. But notwithstanding, Entre Les Murs really feels like I've spent a year in the school with these students. We see the power structure between teachers, admin, and students. We see the problems and challenges that the system has. We also, more importantly, see the interpersonal relationships between the teachers and the students.

This movie doesn't sentimentalize or sugar-coat the learning experience. Lean On Me, this is not. This vision is as stark and cold as the fluorescent light bulbs above the class. The warmth, however brief, is provided by the students and their teachers.

I enjoyed the realistic acting. I never for once thought that I was anywhere else except for a real classroom. I enjoyed the characters, though I wish that I would be able to get in their heads more and see their motivation.

What I liked the most is that we saw an unbiased, holistic viewpoint of the school year. Some students learned a lot, some learned nothing, and life moves on like a soccer match in the school halls.